Difference between revisions of "Category:Prussian Blue: Ukiyo-e colorant"

Prussian blue ベロ藍(bero-ai): The first modern synthetic pigment, Prussian blue was an accidental discovery made around 1704-6 by chemist Johann Jacob Diesbach and alchemist Johann Conrad Dippel. Composed of ferric ferrocyanide, this synthetically produced pigment yields a vivid blue. Due to its high cost as an import from the West during the 1800’s, it was used initially for paintings. By the end of the 1820’s, this pigment was produced in China, thus making it affordable for use as a colorant for woodblock printing.

Prussian blue's bright, intense “true blue” color, fine particle size, and high tinting strength soon made it an indispensable addition to the printmaker’s palette, largely supplanting dayflower and indigo. This enabled an even, sharp printing as well as a greater range of tones especially when printing graduated color. It is thought that the introduction of this colorant into the printmaker’s palette stimulated Hokusai and Hiroshige to design the iconic landscape prints that they are celebrated for. Prussian blue is both lightfast and stable to moisture.

For more information see: Prussian blue

Examples of Prussian blue in Ukiyo-e Prints

Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu

Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu

Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu

Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu

Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu

Analysis

Fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS) can easily identify the three blues: dayflower, indigo, and Prussian blue.

• 

  FORS spectrum of Dayflower reference
• 

  FORS spectrum of Indigo reference
• 

  FORS spectrum of Prussian blue reference

Other Images of Prussian blue

• 

  Lumps of Prussian blue, by Takeo City Library

• 

  Prussian blue

• 

  Prussian blue

• 

  Prussian blue

List of Prints

Below is a list of prints where Prussian blue was detected.